Gil and Oz Omakes
by AZN35
Summary: Just some short stories about Gil and Oz.
1. Tortoise

Omake 1

The Tortoise

It was well known throughout Japan that Pandora Academy housed top athletes in track and field. In fact, the top runner in all of Asia had been signed on to run the hardest event, the 5000m. The coach, Gilbert Nightray, was wary about letting on this new runner, who had been signed on by the last coach, Xerxes Break, before he was "let go" for unscrupulous behavior. What exactly he was caught doing, no one knows. Either way, the new runner was set to start classes the next day and everyone was excited and anxious to meet him.

"Do you think he'll be any good?" grumbled Alice, the star in hurdles, "I mean, we have our reputation to uphold."

"I think so," replied Echo in her soft voice.

"Either way, Break always brought in some weird characters but they were the best in what they did," sighed Sharon, flipping her hair from her shoulders.

"What do you mean he picked the best? That stupid clown couldn't pick out a good runner if she was mowing him down!" screeched Alice.

"Hey! I was someone Coach Break recruited!"

"Me too!"

"Not me! Gil recruited me!"

And the arguing continued all day, but Gilbert's mind was not on the team, it was on the picture of the boy that would be joining their ranks he had found hidden in the paperwork. It was a simple school picture, the boy wearing a gray school uniform coat over a white button-up shirt and a navy blue tie. He had a mischievous grin on his face, but all Gil saw was the boy's bright, intelligent green eyes. They spoke of laughter and sunlight, pretty pictures painted on sparkling canvas, the stars shining their brightest, everything beautiful radiated from those eyes. Gilbert felt himself blushing in spite of himself. He would have to make sure to not get too close to this young man.

PANDORAHEARTS ~~ PANDORAHEARTS ~~

He stood outside the gates to Pandora Academy, a large brown duffel bag slung over one shoulder, his book bag on the other. He looked up at the enormous building, with its high arches and beautiful clock tower and felt the excitement build up. This was his dream, to race at this academy with some of the most talented people in the world. Before stepping through the gate, he took a big breath and ran headfirst into a solid object.

"Owwwww," mumbled Oz as he lay on his back, rubbing his offended forehead, "what was that?"

"Shit," came the reply, which turned into a long stretch of silence as Oz noticed the tall, handsome man.

"I'm sorry! I didn't see you there. I'm new here, my name is…"

"Oz Bezarius," Gilbert blurted out.

Oz just laughed at the outburst, seemingly glad that the stranger knew his name. "So, what's your name? Or should I call you my brick wall?"

"M-m-my name is Gilbert. Gilbert Nightray," Gil managed out as a blush stained his cheeks.

"Oh, you're Coach Nightray! It's really nice to meet you! No wonder you knew my name. Break recruited me for the Academy, but then I heard he was kicked out or something. Either way, I'm really looking forward to running for you," said Oz as he got up and dusted himself off.

Gil remained on the ground, the words "running for you" repeating over and over inside his head. It was a nice thought, having that boy run for him.

"Hey, um, Coach Nightray, you okay? Did I hit you too hard or something?" Oz asked as bent over to check on Gil. He moved his head close to Gil to check for any damage, which made poor Gil blush from head to toe. Getting up quickly, he mumbled an excuse and fled off toward the building.

"Strange guy, but I think I like him," Oz said absently as he picked up his items and followed after his wayward coach.

PANDORAHEARTS ~~ PANDORAHEARTS ~~

Oz managed to make it through all of his classes without any problems. In fact, he even made some new friends along the way. He met Eliot and Leo in his music class, Vincent Nightray, Gil's younger brother, in home economics and Liam in history. So far, his favorite professor turned out to be Jack Bezarius, a young teacher with a nose for mischief. The class found their appearance and same last names to be far too interesting to be just mere coincidence and chalked it up to fate. Thus they became known as Jack and Little Jack to the class. Oz was not impressed.

After classes, when Oz arrived back at his dorm, he found his roommate sitting on his bed, reading a book.

"Hey, you're on my bed," sighed Oz.

"This is my property. In fact, you're my property too. And by the way, my name is Alice, star hurdler at Pandora Academy," she cried haughtily, waving her book around like a sword.

"Wonderful! When I first got here I thought I'd have a boring roommate but it looks like you and I are going to have a lot of fun. My name is Oz Bezarius."

"Oz… Bezarius? You mean the new long distance runner?"

"Um, yeah, how do you know?"

"Everyone knows, dummy! The 5000m is one of the hardest events and we've been looking for a great runner for several semesters. Now the only thing left to do is see if that stupid clown was as good a recruiter as he was a clown."

"I'm guessing you don't like Mr. Break?"

Well, that question opened up Pandora's Box and for the next hour Alice complained about every little part of Break's life, from his weird doll Emily which never left his side, to the sheer amount of candy he ate every day. Even when walking to practice Alice continued to rant about "the clown."

Arriving at the field, Oz couldn't help but smile. The grass was freshly cut, a cool spring breeze rolled through the campus and everywhere he could see students stretching, practicing and discussing strategies. Amidst it all was Coach Nightray, giving tips and taking running times. Alice broke off from Oz, spouting one last obscenity at Break before heading towards the hurdles.

"Hey Coach Nightray! What would you like me to do today?" Oz sing-songed to his coach.

Gil visibly started at the boy's voice. Even without turning around, Gil could see every detail of Oz in his head, as if he never left Gil's imagination. This realization made Gil blush and he kept his back to Oz until the red washed away from his cheeks.

Oz was taking off his academy sweatshirt as Gil turned around to give Oz his advice. Another blush stained his cheeks, but he held his head high as he asked Oz to run 1000m, so he could record his time.

At this, everyone started to gather around, interested in seeing how the new guy would perform.

Oz stretched and a smirk graced his features the entire time. Gil felt embarrassment spread to his limbs, but stopped as the boy stood at the starting line and motioned for Gil to count him down.

"3, 2, 1 GO!" cried Gil as he pressed START on the stopwatch.

Watching Oz run was like watching rain fall on a sunny day. It was graceful and elegant, with a shine all to its own. Everyone stood in awe as the small, lithe boy ran around the track once, twice, again and again. At the end of his run, Gilbert barely had enough sense to push STOP and when he looked at the time, his heart leapt in his chest. It was the fastest time anyone in the academy had ever accomplished.

PANDORAHEARTS ~~ PANDORAHEARTS ~~

The next day Oz caught up to Gilbert in the morning in-between his classes. Gil was preparing the roster for the coming competition and was deciding who to use for the long jump.

"Brown or Young? Brown or Young?" Gil murmured as a pencil gently tapped his mouth.

"Well, I would go with Brown since he has much more confidence in his abilities," said Oz matter-of-factly.

Gilbert nearly jumped 10 feet in the air, scared to death by the interruption and the golden haired boy at his door.

"Sorry coach, I didn't mean to scare you," apologized Oz as he rushed to the desk.

"No, no, it was nothing. I was just too preoccupied," sighed Gil.

"Well, coach, I think you should take a lunch break with me!"

For the second time that day, Gil nearly fell out of his seat. What was that boy thinking?

"Listen, Oz, I-I don't think that's a good idea."

"Come on, coach, it'll only be a half an hour and then you can get back to being a boring grown-up."

Gil sighed, mentally kicking himself for wanting to say yes so badly. "Alright."

Oz's smile was more radiant than the sun and Gil felt himself fall in love.

Together the two enjoyed lunch at Gil's desk, talking about running, about classes, about anything but why Oz had asked Gil to eat lunch together. At the end, with the crumbs of their lunch thrown in the trash, Oz thanked Gil for taking the time to eat lunch with him before turning to leave.

"Wh-why did you ask me to eat lunch with you?" Gil stammered out in embarrassment.

Oz gave him a knowing smile in return, "because you are a fascinating person. Even though I haven't known you for very long, it feels like we've been best friends our entire lives."

Gilbert thought about this and smiled, "then you better start calling me Gilbert."

This time, it was Oz who blushed. He smiled a shy smile at Gil and walked out of the room.

PANDORAHEARTS ~~ PANDORAHEARTS ~~

For two months it continued like this, with class in the morning, lunch with Gil, class again and practice in the afternoon. On the day before the first big competition Oz didn't show up to lunch. It worried Gil but he shrugged it off as nervousness on Oz's part due to the competition. But on the day of the competition, as every single person was nearly bursting with excitement, Oz didn't show up again for lunch. So Gil sought out Oz and managed to find Alice.

"Hey stupid rabbit-face, where's your roommate?"

"Oz is in the library, seaweed head."

They gave each other death glares before Gil stalked off toward the library, hoping that Oz was alright.

Indeed Oz was in the library, hunched over a book, eyes glazed over. He gently sat himself next to the boy, hoping to get his attention. He put his hand on Oz's shoulder and the boy flinched before noticing Gil and visibly relaxed.

"Hi Gil."

"Oz, what's wrong?"

For a while, Oz only sat there, staring at the book but not reading it. His mind seemed to be light years away and that scared Gil.

"I… My father told me that he wouldn't come to today's meet. In fact, he told me he would never come to one because he is ashamed to have me as his son. He said running… running was for children who only wanted to disgrace their families," he said quietly, his head bowed so low that Gil couldn't see his eyes.

"Oz…" Gil started as Oz threw himself onto his coach and best friend. To a passerby, it would have looked extremely bad, so Gil took the grieving boy back to his office. Once there, Gil set Oz on the couch propped against the wall and stroked the boy's head. It was the only thing he could think of to help.

"Gil, if… if my father doesn't approve of my choices, does that mean I should leave this academy?"

Horror seized Gil and he immediately grabbed Oz by the shoulders, bringing the boy's face parallel to his own.

"No! You should do what your heart loves! Even if it's against your family's wishes, even if others don't always approve, if it's what you want, then do it. And if you still need someone to support you, to tell you that what you're doing is right, then just come to me. Every decision you make is important to me. I will always stay by your side."

Oz's eyes grew wider at every passing sentence and in the end, he once again flung himself against Gilbert, hoping that this wasn't an illusion. After some more consoling, Oz headed to his dorm to get ready, while Gil nearly died of embarrassment after repeating in his head everything he had just said.

PANDORAHEARTS ~~ PANDORAHEARTS ~~

The track and field competition went by in a blur, with Oz's race being one of the last. As Gil stood there while Oz stretched, he felt a sort of longing to hold the boy once again. It was evident that his father's words still haunted him, but there was also a radiance that hadn't been there before and Gil wondered what had caused this change.

Getting up, Oz smiled at his coach and Gil felt his heart skip a beat.

"Gil," Oz said quietly, as he stood side by side with Gil, "I want you to wait for me. I need to find myself, but I want to come back to you. Gil, you're my coach and my best friend, but you're also something more. It's something I don't want to put into words yet, but it's there and it's growing. Please, wait for me. I'm a slow runner, but I always get to the finish line."

"Just like the tortoise, and he always did too," said Gil through a gentle smile.

"Right! Just wait! I will make my way back to you."

After that, Oz won the race and left the academy.

It would be several years before Gil would see Oz again, but after the wait, the ending was sweeter than anything both had ever imagined.


	2. White Day

White Day

On Valentine's Day, Gil had made Oz a batch of sinfully delicious raspberry filled truffles. It had taken Oz (and Break, much to Gil's chagrin) a full 10 minutes to eat them all AND there had been two dozen of them in red and white rappers. Suffice to say that Gil felt let down, but Oz had never been happier. For Oz, it wasn't the actual gift he had received, but the person who he received it from. Sure, Alice had given him a drumstick, Sharon a fan-shaped pillow and Break a half eaten cake, but those were nothing compared to the embarrassment of Gil handing over his gift.

_Gil paced in the hallway._

_Up and down._

_Up and down._

_Up and down._

_He desperately wanted a cigarette._

_Then he heard the light laughter of Oz drift through the door he hoped to walk through but still could not open. He was laughing at something that stupid rabbit was talking about, but that didn't concern Gil at the moment. What he was worried about was getting his master alone, confessing his feelings, and handing over his chocolates. If he could survive that, then even the Will of the Abyss couldn't stand a chance against his nerves of steel. _

"… _leaving now. I'm going to see if there's any meat left in the kitchen."_

'_Thank god,' thought Gil, hoping that the stupid rabbit wouldn't bother his master at all. Hell, if he had it his way, he would have ripped a hole open into the Abyss and saved his master all on his own. Rabbits didn't even make good pets anyways! _

_The door opened and Gil hurried to the opposite wall to lean against it, acting as nonchalant as possible, even as his hands continued to sweat and shake. _

"_Hey seaweed head, what are you doing? Trying to steal away my manservant?" Alice growled out._

"_Shut up, you stupid rabbit. I'm here to talk to him. You know, what civilized people do," Gil shot back._

"_Hey, we talk! More than you two!"_

_That stung. Gil didn't have a snappy retort, so instead he just stomped into Oz's room, slamming the door behind him. _

"_You know, if you keep doing that, Sharon's going to have a fit. Broken doors aren't easy to fix," Oz teased as Gil stood facing the door, fuming. _

"_Er, s-sorry Oz. I didn't mean to barge in," Gil replied, realizing that he had indeed come into Oz's room with no plan of attack. In fact, his mind went blank and a streak of panic ran up his backside._

"_So, Gil, Happy Valentine's Day! I, uh, didn't get anybody anything because leaving the mansion on my own is basically impossible with all the Pandora members around," Oz sighed out._

_Gil just stared at him, mouth agape. _

"_Gil? Are you okay?" said Oz as he walked closer to Gil. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on his best friend's forehead and Gil jumped back in surprise. Oz just laughed at the response._

"_I guess so!"_

_Gil still stood there, then with a powerful thrust, he shoved the chocolates into Oz's chest._

"_Theseareforyou."_

"_Sorry? I didn't catch that, Gil," Oz inclined as he looked at the pretty box in his hands. It was a simple red box, covered in a white and silver ribbon. On the top left corner it said Happy Valentine's Day! To: Oz._

"_These… are for you. I made them." Gil never felt more embarrassed in his life._

"_Really?! Wow, you didn't have to make me anything. I mean, I didn't get you anything. Thanks, Gil. These… these mean a lot." _

_Oz just held the chocolates close to his heart and smiled lovingly at his servant. Gil felt a blush crawl up his neck and onto his cheeks. _

"_I wanted to. You're my master and I really…" _

_And then Break entered through the cushions of the couch Oz was standing next to._

"_My, my, is our dear Gilbert giving Oz a Valentine's gift? Where's mine?"_

_Gil felt his blood boil. He was so close to telling his master everything in his heart and this stupid, as Alice would say, Clown, ruined everything! _

_After that Gil watched as Break and Oz broke into the chocolates. He wanted to kill, tear, mangle, basically destroy the Mad Hatter, but hell, it was still worth it to watch Oz eat all those chocolates with such a happy smile on his face. And after it all, a small bit of melted chocolate had sat on the corner of Oz's mouth, which Gil had stroked away with his thumb before leaving the two to scheme about murdering the clown._

Gil thought back fondly to that day and blew out a puff of smoke from his dying cigarette. The evening was clear and the stars shone brightly outside. Gil loved this balcony, because it was secluded and quiet. Tomorrow Oz, the stupid rabbit, and he would go talk to Duke Barma again, but until then, he wanted a peaceful evening. There were so few left.

"Hey, you busy?" came a soft voice from the door to the balcony.

Gil turned his attention to the unknown visitor to see Oz standing there, his hands behind his back and a soft smile gracing his features. Instead of the constant nervousness he normally felt around his master, he felt at home, at one with his surroundings. He smiled lightly back.

"Is something the matter?" he inquired gently.

"No, just wanted to talk to you," Oz said as he worked his way closer to his servant, each slow and deliberate step seeming like the moves to a graceful waltz.

"What about?" Gil questioned as he became more aware of the closing gap between himself and his master.

"This," said Oz as he leaned forward and closed the distance between the two, softly pressing his lips to his best friend's cheek.

"Happy White Day," whispered Oz.


	3. Disclaimer: I do not own PH

Saving my butt:

I do not own Pandora Hearts. Not the manga. Not the anime. None of it. And I don't have a lot of money to my name. Capiche?

These are just for fun, so don't take them seriously. Or me seriously.


	4. Snow

Author's Note: Another one done! Hope it's up to par.

The winter after Oz fell into the abyss, it didn't snow. Neither did it snow the next year, or the year after. In fact, for a decade, it had ceased to snow during winter. There was gloomy, sad rain, but nothing more. Not even a single flake of snow.

Gil believed it was because the only pure thing in the world was gone.

"Gil! Gil! Wake up! You're going to freeze to death out here!" Oz yelled as he shook his best friend's shoulders.

Gil started, surprised to see that his cigarette lay burnt out on the balcony railing, a light mist coming down around him. He was even more surprised to see his master next to him, worry running through his features.

"Sorry, Oz, must have gotten carried away."

"It's alright. I was just going to let you know that Alice and I are going into town to do some shopping. We'll be back later this evening."

A pang of jealousy passed through Gil's heart, but he smiled at his master, "alright, be careful. Don't run off without that stupid rabbit."

"I won't. I won't," Oz waved his hand, turning toward the balcony doors, "and YOU don't daydream out in the rain. I don't want my cute servant getting a cold."

As he was about to retort, Oz ran off to find Alice, while Gil's cheeks still burned with embarrassment. Turning to follow his master, he realized that he was soaked, his thin black shirt doing nothing to protect him from the rain and wind. He would have to change and then get back to doing some paperwork for Pandora. Unfortunately, due to all the excitement following the trip to Sabrie, he had fallen woefully behind on the unpleasant part of his job. Liam had been kind enough to shoulder some of his workload, but now he had to be an adult and write reports for the rest of the afternoon. How he wished he was 14 again.

Slipping quietly into his room, he changed into an old pair of black pants that were a little too tight and a dark gray, long sleeve shirt Vincent had given him for his birthday. He looked handsome in this new outfit, but realized that the only person he really wanted to impress was miles away in a carriage with a stupid, meat-eating rabbit.

Turning to his desk, he sighed in resigned defeat. Folders adorned the surface of the entire desk, making the task at hand look even more daunting. Still, the small picture in the right corner brought a smile to Gil's lips as he sat down at the mahogany desk to begin an afternoon of torture. Throughout it all, Oz smiled warmly back at him.

It was a quarter to 7 when Gil finally looked up at the clock.

'6 hours of writing reports? I'm going to need to let off some steam after this," he thought as he rolled his head back and forth to relieve the tension building in his muscles.

Still, he had not heard of his master's return and he felt a small knot of dread twist in his stomach. His fears were soon alleviated by the sound of approaching carriages. Looking out, his mouth dropped open. Gil and Alice piled out of the carriage with their arms full of packages. A second carriage had pulled up behind them and servants began to pull even more colorfully wrapped packages out of it as well. Oz looked up, caught Gil's reflection in the window and precariously balanced a white parcel on his leg and waved with his free hand. Gil smiled back and gave him a small wave before turning toward the door. He had to know why the two had bought out the entire town.

Come to find out to Oz's delight and Gil's horror that Christmas was a couple weeks away. Gil had been so preoccupied with all of the challenges facing them every day that he hadn't noticed the green garland being hung in the hallways, or the red stockings on the mantelpieces. In fact, that very day, a large 16 foot tree had been brought into the main ballroom to be decorated for the upcoming Winter Ball.

"Gil, how could you not know? There were signs everywhere and everyone is feeling more joyous," Oz beamed.

Gil just blushed, "I… I didn't realize…"

"You're so serious!" laughed Oz, "we'll have a wonderful Christmas, just like before."

"What do you mean, 'just like before'?" asked Alice as she munched on a candy cane.

"Well, while Gil was living with us, we always celebrated Christmas together. We would sing carols with Uncle Oscar, give Ada kisses under the mistletoe, and give each other gifts. It was one of my favorite times of the year."

"Well, I'm ok with singing and gifts, but none of this kissing business! You're still my manservant," huffed Alice.

Oz just threw a wink at Gil and patted the chain on her back, "don't worry, Alice, I'll teach you all about Christmas."

"And that fat man who breaks into people's homes?"

"Yes, even Saint Nicholas."

Alice seemed pleased with his answer and wandered off to find more food. She seemed completely mystified by the idea of Christmas, because she looked in awe at all the new decorations everywhere she went.

"Gil, I have a favor to ask," Oz said as he settled himself in a couch by a warm fire.

"What is it?"

"I want you to make it snow for me. I know it sounds impossible, but I think you can do it. I don't want to spend a Christmas without any snow."

Oz gave a small, weak smile to Gil, unable to hide the sadness hidden within. How many white Christmases had he missed with everyone? How many memories was he not a part of?

"Sure Oz. I'll make it snow," Gil replied resolutely.

Both friends shared a smile and sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the night.

For two weeks Gil fretted and worried about how to make it snow for Oz. Every day he prayed to whatever weather gods there may be that they let it snow one day for his master. He did weather jigs Break had told him a voodoo shaman had taught him, gave donations to shrines for some extra karma and even buried some ice in hopes that a magic snow tree would pop up. Gil was losing his mind.

On Christmas Eve, Gil had run out of ideas and hope. He lay in his bed, miserable, unable to bring himself to face Oz. His master had requested that Gil do the impossible and he had tried his hardest to make his master's wishes come true. He brooded in his bed for hours, unable to come up with an excuse to tell Oz.

"You're awful gloomy today," came a voice from under his bed.

"Go away, Break," replied Gil's muffled voice through a pillow.

"Now, now. There's no need to get angry. AND you're boring when you're not surprised about my visits."

"Go away."

"We have a way to help you with your problem," Emily stated as Break moved to sit on Gil's bed.

"I don't trust you."

"Master Gilbert, that is no way to treat a friend! Come now, I have a way to make it snow, but in return I need you to do something for me."

"Typical," Gil muttered.

Break just laughed and as Emily wobbled back and forth on his shoulder. Out of nowhere Break produced a small red lollipop.

"I need you to wrap all my gifts. In return, I'll tell you how to make it snow."

Gil thought it over long and hard. Wrapping Break's gifts could be hazardous to his health, but he needed help, ANY help with his task.

With a firm handshake, Gil agreed.

The next day was filled with excited chatter and bustling bodies. People ran to and fro, preparing for the ball and all the nobility that would arrive. Gil hated wearing the formal attire, especially the snug formal shirt and black dress pants. Everything was just too, well, nice for him. Oz, on the other hand, loved the clothes and the holiday excitement. He ran up and down the hallways, carrying gifts and helping the servants. Miss Sharon and Break had been gone all day, most likely preparing for the night and any potential dangers that could arise.

A knock on his door brought Gil around in a daze. He had been thinking about how to get Oz to his room, but was unable to come up with a plausible and non-creepy reason. None came to mind.

Knock knock. "Hey Gil!"

*Badump Badump Badump*

"Come in," Gil barely got out as Oz rushed into the room.

"Merry Christmas!" Oz bellowed as he brandished armloads of gifts, "Gil! I want us to exchange gifts now! If we wait until after the party, it'll be too late. And you may drink too much wine and fall asleep."

Gil laughed lightly and motioned for the boy to sit down on the couch next to him. A soft glow from two lamps filled the room. From his pocket Gil produced a small, smartly wrapped box. It was covered in sparkly silver paper, which a small red bow on the top. Oz on the other hand dropped five gifts on the table, all for his beloved servant and friend.

Together they talked of past Christmases as they opened their gifts or gift. Gil received a new pair of black leather gloves, a set of antique pistols, a serving platter (_so you can always make me breakfast in bed_, laughed Oz), a necklace with an amethyst raven's feather and the one that brought tears to his eyes. It was the outfit he wore to Oz's Coming of Age Ceremony, restored to its original condition. He had sat there, clutching the fabric, remembering that day and the following night. No words needed to be said, but the tears still ran down his face. Oz just smiled lovingly at his servant, still holding the small package from Gil in his hands.

Noticing that Gil wouldn't wake up from his world of memories anytime soon, Oz slowly opened the package. It was a jewelry case, covered in a navy blue fabric; it was smooth and delicate in his hands. Opening it, he felt a sense of unbelievable love and sadness steal over him. It was a ring, a simple gold band that would fit snugly on his middle finger, but on the inside it read:

You Mean Everything to Me

Gil was the person who could give him all the love his father had denied him. Looking up, Gil's expression was one of pure, unconditional love. Standing, he took Oz's hand and led him outside to the balcony.

"I'm sorry Oz, I couldn't make it actually snow. This is the best I could do," said Gil as he pulled a chord hanging from the top of the doorway.

A gust of wind picked up as a flurry of white confetti fluttered around them, swirling the two in a mystical dance of everlasting snow. Oz swung around in circles, his eyes closed in deep contentment, a smile adorning his face. Gil stood leaning against the doorframe, his arms lay across his chest, his eyes focused on the beautiful creature in front of him. Silver-white snow stuck to Oz's golden hair, creating a radiant halo.

"Thanks for making it snow, Gil. I knew you were the only one that could do it," Oz said as he looked toward his friend, the last of the snow drifting away with the wind.

"Anything and everything for you," Gil whispered back as he pulled Oz into a hug.


	5. Pucker Face

Author's Note: Here's another story. I'm not so sure how much I like it myself, but I hope you enjoy it. It's shorter than the other ones I've written, which is kind of nice in a way. Anyways, enjoy.

Pucker Face

It was the 10th?, 11th?, 15th?, 100th? time Gil had tried to quit smoking. It was all because of Sharon and Break and their big mouths.

"You know, Gilbert, Oz was talking about you the other day," said Sharon offhandedly, while Break's smile became wider, "he mentioned how you seem to be smoking less, especially since the trip to Sabrie."

Gilbert choked on the tea he was sipping, wondering what else his master had said about him. Soon his mind raced back and forth with dangerous thoughts about Oz, while Sharon and Break looked on, their grins becoming more malevolent. Break's fingers drummed sharply on the table he sat at, a pile of sweets lay forgotten momentarily as he planned his next move. Unfortunately, Sharon beat him to the punch.

"Gil, it seems that he likes you MORE when you're not smoking," Sharon said sweetly, though the atmosphere became more thick and deadly, "maybe you should quit."

"Yeah, you'll smell better too!" chimed in Emily, before she erupted in a fit of laughter.

"Hush, dear Emily, poor Gilbert needs to figure out how to quit. He can't go disappointing his master now," Break mumbled through a piece of cake.

Break could see the inner workings of Gil's mind before the man had even said a word. The plot thickened.

"But you've already tried so many times!" cried Sharon, the delight in her voice painfully evident, "what will you do?"

"I… I… I'll figure something out! You two leave me alone!" said Gil frantically as he pointed an accusing finger at the two, "I know you're up to something!"

Then Gil ran out of the room at an alarming pace, scared of the duo and what they were planning.

"Well, Miss Sharon, what is the wager at?"

"One hundred dollars that he stops smoking for two days, two hundred if he stops for five, three hundred for a week and if he stops smoking for over two weeks, one of us is deemed the winner and must be the other's maid for a day. And he can't know what we're doing."

"It is a deal. I hope you know that I will win this. I have many tricks up my sleeve," grinned the Mad Hatter's keeper, as he twirled a fork in his hand.

"You can't torture him or hide all his cigarettes from him, Break. That's cheating," Sharon replied back reproachfully, "he has to quit on his own accord, but we can do some helping. Oh, and no drugging him either."

"You think so poorly of me," Break grinned as he held out his hand, which Sharon shook lightly.

The bet had begun.

For an entire month, the two sought out Gil to help him quit. Every time it failed. Break gave him more assignments, but they just stressed out Gil more, thus leading to another packet of cigarettes gone. Sharon gave him time off, but Gil became bored and smoked. Break gave Gil pictures of Oz to take his mind off of smoking, but the guilt and nervousness of having those pictures led Gil to, wait for it, light up. Sharon countered by setting up a shooting range, which Gil found exhilarating and thus, afterwards, would smoke out of satisfaction.

"He's impossible!" cried Sharon after another failed attempt to get Gil addicted to something else. *coughalcoholcough*

"Perhaps we are going about this the wrong way?" Break said thoughtfully.

"You know, if you two told me you were picking on Gil, I would have joined in," came a happy voice in the hall.

"Eavesdropping is not a very admirable pastime, Master Oz," Break countered.

Oz poked his head through the door, surprised to see the normally composed Miss Sharon lying on the couch, a hand over her eyes. Break sat on the arm of the couch, gently patting the "young" girl's shoulder.

"Come on, Break, I want to join in. You two have been spending so much time with Gil that I haven't gotten much time to be with him. We haven't had a decent conversation in a week!" Oz said matter-of-factly.

Break studied the young man carefully. There was an uncontrollable amount of mirth behind his supposedly serious countenance. If Oz ever became the duke of the Vesarius household, they would all be in for a lot of trouble. That boy was scary.

"Well, Miss Sharon, what will it be? Shall we let Oz join in on our reindeer games?"

"Yes, yes, let him do what he wants. Gil's a hopeless case anyways," said Sharon in defeat.

"Wonderful," clapped Break, "we have been trying to get Gil to stop smoking. We have a running bet on who will get him to quit and for how long."

Break went on to tell Oz about the rest of the bet, like how much money was being wagered, the rules of the bet, and what he and Sharon had attempted thus far.

Gil had suspected something was going on when Break had tried to send him out to sea with only a suitcase and a basket of food. Of course, he believed it was just Break being stupid and dismissed it as nothing to worry about. Miss Sharon had been a different case, but he brushed it off as the strange inklings of the rich and powerful.

Shrugging his shoulders, he reached for his pack of cigarettes and lighter, hoping to relieve some stress due to the troublesome pair. Putting the cigarette to his lips, he felt a strange tingling, but thought nothing of it and lit the lighter, bringing it closer to the tip of the cigarette. As he inhaled the familiar taste, the tingling became worse and worse. Soon, his face scrunched up in surprise and horror. His lips pursed together, his eyes watered and every bit of common sense told him to spit out the cigarette. As his left eye began to twitch, he threw the cigarette on the ground, staring at it in utter confusion as the taste began to withdraw from his mouth.

Thinking it was just a bad cigarette, he lit up another one. And it happened again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

How could an entire packet of cigarettes be tainted by some foul, unknown substance?! Throwing down the now empty packet in disgust, he stomped on it with his foot like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Now feeling the burn of the nicotine addiction crawl through his lungs, he headed toward his room, where he knew another pack of cigarettes laid waiting for him.

'Lo and behold, life was a cruel, cruel mistress.

They were tainted too, and now Gil's face wouldn't stop scrunching up. He needed a cigarette. Oz be damned, he was going to feed his addiction.

Yet at that moment, the object of his desires walked through the door, holding up a… no… a wonderful, beautiful cigarette. Oz just smiled kindly back, holding the cigarette out to Gil.

"You looked stressed, Gil, so I nabbed a cigarette off of Uncle Oscar to give to you."

Tears poured down Gil's face, gratitude shining through his eyes. He never really knew how much he loved his master until at that moment, when Oz was willing to give Gil what he really wanted.

Grabbing the cigarette with shaking hands, he put it to his mouth, relieved to find the strange taste was not present. He lit the cigarette and inhaled a large breath, feeling the rough smoke glide down his lungs. Then he inhaled again and a sense of deep satisfaction crossed his face. Oz just continued to watch his friend, a playful and knowing smile on his face. On the third inhale, his eyes began to twitch and his face scrunched up. It was happening again! Taking the cigarette out, he jammed it into an ash tray on his desk, anger and embarrassment on his face. Once again, he could feel his eyes start to water and his lips pursed together. Oz's laugh rang out through the room as Gil's face went red. Walking up to his servant and friend, Oz leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Gil's awkward lips.

"Hey Gil, sorry about the cigarettes, but I just love seeing your pucker face," Oz said with a smile before leaning up and kissing his servant once again.

From embarrassment or fear, Gil didn't smoke again for an entire month. Oz won the bet, but found that the most rewarding part was seeing Gil act like the Gil he knew when he was a child. Sometimes the little things can be the most rewarding.


	6. Yakuza Pandora Style

Author's Note: I was reading the Wild Ones manga and this came to mind. Sorry for the really long intro. I just wanted to insert a little about Gil's life and the clan into the story. So again, sorry if it seems unnecessary.

I'm A Mobster, You Idiot!

By the time Gil had come back from the deal, it was nearly midnight and a thick fog had settled upon Tokyo. Only a few people walked on the streets, most getting to their destinations as quickly as possible. Only those of the night truly wandered the streets without any fear and Gil was one of them.

It had started off badly. The deal was for a shipment of AK-47's to a very rich and very influential political candidate in a country to the north. The man was planning a coup d'état against the now fascist regime running the country. It was supposed to go smoothly, with a transition of said guns to an armored vehicle owned by the political candidate. Everything had been planned out ahead of time, from the drop off location to how long it would take to load each crate of munitions. Unfortunately, it's hard to calculate the greed that overcomes people. A rival clan had come in during the middle of the transfer and a gun battle had ensued.

Gil looked up toward the hidden sky and sighed. He had been lucky. Of their men, two had been seriously injured, but one of the candidate's men had been killed. It was a botched job for sure. The body had been disposed of by the candidate's men, but it was clear that his clan wouldn't be getting as much money as they had bargained for. The boss was going to kill him. Well, maybe just break a couple of his ribs.

Heaving out a heavy sigh, he made his way toward his home, the Yakuza's Vessarius Clan.

YAKUZAYAKUZAYAKUZA

Gil huffed out a pained breath, holding onto his ribs. It had been a week since he told the boss, Oscar, about the job. He had been correct in the broken ribs. He had gotten a good pounding from the boss himself, but that had been it. It seemed the boss was busying himself with some urgent matter. The other day a phone call had been made to the boss. Now that was nothing special, but the boss had been on the phone for over 4 hours, talking to the mysterious stranger. Everyone was curious and rumors quickly spread around.

"I heard it was a young lady from Kyoto asking for a favor."

"Well, rumor has it that it was a drug deal gone bad and he put a hit out for someone."

"Nah, he's getting a sculpture made in his image."

Come to find out the next day, it was none of the above. A ring had resounded through the house and everyone perked up. Gil made his way toward the door, wary of whoever was trying to gain the house's attention. Opening the door, he was met with the most beautiful face in the world.

A radiant glow surrounded the boy's smiling face. Golden wheat hair waved back and forth as the boy's emerald green eyes danced merrily about, looking this way and that at the house. His healthy skin and baby face revealed the boy's true age of 14 or 15, but it was his very mature gaze that stunned Gil. The boy looked like he had seen the rotten parts of life. Still, his voice was smooth and calm and Gil couldn't help but wonder what his name would sound like coming from the boy's lips.

"Hi, I'm Oz Vessarius! Is my uncle Oscar around?"

Gil's mouth hung open. His UNCLE?!

"Hello? Excuse me, but isn't the help supposed to get the master of the house?" Oz teased.

"H-h-help? I'm a mobster, you idiot!" Gil ground out, more embarrassed that the boy didn't see him as a clan member than anything else.

"Gil? Did you just call my dear, sweet nephew an idiot?" asked a powerful voice, filled with deep rage and anger.

"S-sir! I'm sorry!" Gil replied frantically, going straight to the floor to bow to his boss.

Oscar just threw his head back and laughed. He walked straight forward and enveloped the boy in his arms who had been watching the entire scene with amusement.

"Uncle Oscar!"

"My cute nephew Oz!"

Together they walked toward Oscar's room, each chatting merrily about Oz's and Oscar's lives.

That night, all of the men were introduced to Oz and he was introduced to the clan. They found out that he had been sent to a boarding school in America, where he gained most of his education. He was a well rounded individual who wished to become a teacher when he graduated from senior high school. His younger sister was still in America finishing up her elementary school education with their aunt. As for his parents, it was a touchy subject but they learned that Oz's mother had died and his father had abandoned the two children when they were very young.

"Now, now, everyone! Let's toast to Oz and eat!" yelled Oscar.

"Kampai!" everyone cried out in unison.

The night was spent eating and drinking, but Gil always tried to sneak a glance at Oz, which Oscar noticed but only smiled in delight. After the festivities ended, all the men stumbled to their rooms, but Oscar stopped Gil with a hand on his shoulder.

"Gil, I have something to ask of you."

"Yes, boss, anything."

"I want you to watch over and protect my nephew. He and Ada are the most precious people in the world to me and I don't want any harm to ever come to them," Oscar said with the utmost seriousness.

Gil could say nothing back but instead nodded his head. Surrounded by mountains of uneaten food and the smell of sake, Oscar's request became very clear. He would protect Oz with his life. Even being surrounded by the clan, he would make sure that nothing ever harmed the young man. Bowing to his boss, he made his way toward his room for some much needed rest, the task heavy on his heart.

Instead, he found the young Master Oz standing in front of the door, barring the way in. His head hung on his shoulders, a certain sadness radiating from his body.

"Master Oz! Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Oh, Gil, I just wanted to talk to you."

"Can't it wait until morning? I mean, it's getting kind of late."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Oz sighed with defeat as he headed toward his room, "night Gil."

"Night," Gil whispered out, knowing that the boy wouldn't hear, but unable to say anything to erase the unease settling in his chest.

Settling down into bed, Gil felt his discomfort increase.

YAKUZAYAKUZAYAKUZA

The next day, the house was in an uproar. Master Oz was gone! In fact, it looked like he hadn't even gone to sleep in his bed.

"Gil! I told you to protect him? Where is he?" yelled a frantic Oscar.

"I don't know, boss! I saw him last night as I was going to bed and he seemed a little upset, but he said he was going to bed."

Oscar sighed and just looked out the window at the clear blue sky. Birds chirped joyously, signaling the wonders of the coming summer months.

"Gil, I think I may know where Oz went."

YAKUZAYAKUZAYAKUZA

Gil was running at full speed toward the cemetery. The warm sun beating against his face did nothing to subdue the panic in his chest. Rounding a corner, he came to the gate of the cemetery, a beautiful place filled with the souls of the dead. He spotted a blonde head of hair near a particularly clean and lovely grave.

He walked slowly past the rows of graves, mindful of the memories and sadness that filled each one. Coming to stop next to the boy, he read the inscription on the simple headstone.

_------ Bezarius_

_A loving mother and a beautiful wife.  
May her smile live forever in our memories.  
1965-199X_

The woman's first name had been scratched out and it was the only mar on the otherwise pristine headstone. It shone in a beautiful pearl color where the sun hit it. The boy sitting next to the grave in prayer had either not noticed Gil or chose to ignore him. Gil just hung his head in respect, waiting for the boy to finish.

"You know, my father is the one who scratched out my mother's name. Ada and I don't even know her real name. My father never said it. Not once. And Oscar refuses to say anything for some reason. How stupid is that? I'm 15 and I don't even know my own mother's name," Oz said with a bitter smile, never breaking his gaze with the tombstone.

Gil found himself again with nothing to say. Instead, he kneeled down next to the boy and wrapped his arms around him. Every bit of sadness and grief passed between the two and they sat there for a long time. It was when the cherry blossoms started to fall around them that they looked up in wonder. Standing up, Oz spread his arms out, dancing in slow circles underneath the cherry blossoms. Gil just smiled at the young man, knowing now why the boy's eyes always looked a little sad and a little far away. Stopping his twirling, Oz stopped and laid his calm gaze upon Gil.

"You know, Mr. Guardian, you should be a teacher too. You're very kind and gentle."

"Didn't I tell you before? I'm a mobster, you idiot. And I'll never leave your side."

Oz just flashed a happy smile at his new friend and continued to dance beneath the cherry blossoms.


	7. Horse Race

Author's Note: So this story will probably make NO sense whatsoever, but that's ok. I think I might be losin' some steam with these stories, but I'll try to keep writing one every once in a while.

Horse Race

"WWWWWWHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYY?" Oz groaned out, clearly upset that he was being sent to the most boring event on earth.

"But we need to get out and enjoy the sunshine. Besides, Uncle Oscar has been too uptight lately and he needs to let off some steam. Better than him getting drunk, I suppose," said Ada thoughtfully.

Oz just groaned again and rolled over on the couch in his room, his shirt wrinkling more and more with each movement. His shoes lay forgotten at the base of the couch, his favorite series, Holy Knight, lay draped over the arm of the couch near his head. Ada walked quietly toward her brother and sat down next to him, she draped an arm over his shoulders in the most loving and gentle way she could. Then she inhaled a breath of air and…

"GET UP RIGHT NOW OR I'M NEVER GOING TO CALL YOU MY BIG BROTHER AGAIN!" she screamed in his ear.

Oz jumped a foot in fright before swirling his head toward his sister. His eyes bugging out of his eye sockets and his slightly agape mouth was all Ada needed to see.

"See you in an hour in the foyer, big brother," she said curtly before getting up, turning on her heel and striding out of the room.

"When did she get to be so scary?" Oz whispered to himself before sitting up and smoothing out his clothes.

It didn't take more than a few seconds after that before Gil walked into the room, a smirk on his face. He was dressed in his usual attire, with his favorite black hat held in his left hand.

"I hear you're going to the horse races with us now," Gil teased.

Oz groaned for the third time and flopped back onto the couch, clearly upset about the day's turn of events and Gil's lack of respect for his master.

"But horse races are so boring. All you do is bet on a horse that you think can run around a track a million times the fastest. If you win, you get money. But then there's the odds to think about, the jockey, the type of horse, it's all so confusing! There's nothing fun about horse races!"

"Come on, Oz, it may be fun now that you're older. And everyone is going to be there. That stupid rabbit might try to eat a horse though. But otherwise, it's a beautiful day and you need to get outside."

It was true, Oz had been spending most of his time in his room, especially after Riitasu's manor, and the boy needed to get out. Gil still looked slightly worried about Oz's health, but even he thought a day at the track would liven the lad up.

Together, they talked about the day and what was to happen at the tracks.

At exactly 1:00 everyone was in the foyer ready to go. Alice kept asking Oz and Gil what a horse track was and what they were going to do there and if there was any meat available. Oz would cast furtive glances at his sister who looked lost in thought. Oscar was laughing and rubbing Liam's head, telling the man to settle down. Sharon and Break were in a pleasant conversation, with Sharon only taking out her paper fan once. All in all, it was a big family outing. With everyone piling into 2 carriages, they were off to the race track.

It took over an hour to get to the race track, but once there, the excitement was palpable. Women in smartly colored dresses and large hats giggled through their fans as young men bowed deeply to young, beautiful ladies. Everyone was talking loudly and it became even louder when they saw the Duke of the Vezarius house climbing out of a carriage. Oscar grinned from ear to ear, grabbed several busty women and wove his way through the crowd, forgetting his entourage behind him. Ada ran after him, scolding him every step of the way.

"Well, since that old pervert decided to leave us, let's head toward the betting area. I'm sure one of us is bound to get lucky," Break.

Everyone nodded in agreement and they were off. It took them awhile to fight the crowds but in the end, they made it up to the betting windows, each with a bit of money in their pockets for the races.

"Well, Master Oz, who are you going to bet on?" Sharon asked politely.

"Hmmm, I don't know anything about betting on horses besides choosing good odds," replied Oz as he looked at the names of the horses that would be racing throughout the day, "how about you?"

"Oh, ladies never bet. But I do believe that if Break wins, he's splitting his share with me," Sharon smiled at the man, who's eye twitched ever so slightly at the threat behind the words.

"Hey, where's Alice?" asked Liam, who seemed torn between staying with the group and running off to find Oscar.

"The stupid rabbit must have gotten lost trying to find some food," said Gil offhandedly as he tried to watch both his master and the horses that were to race.

"Break and I will go find her. Liam, you go find Master Oscar. You never know what may happen. And Gil, stay with Oz," said Sharon firmly as she grabbed Break's arm and dragged him through the crowd.

"She seems a little on edge," said Oz as he pondered which horses to bet on.

"I don't blame her. It's very crowded here and anything could happen. If a chain were to show up, it would be utter chaos," replied Gil.

Oz just nodded his head in agreement before walking up to the window. He made his bets and winked up at Gil, who then made his way toward the window to make his bets. After the two were finished, they made their way to the box seats Oscar had secured for the group. Oscar, Ada, Liam and Alice were already there and Break and Sharon could be seen at a distance making their way toward the group.

The announcer's voice cut through the rising noise of all the spectators who asked that everyone stand and show their respect for the country's anthem. A young boy sung the song spectacularly and then the first race was announced. If the stadium had been noisy before the race, it was incredibly loud during the race. Oscar was screaming about some horse named Undertaker as Oz and Ada just laughed at him.

After the first race, Oz perked up. He had bet on a horse for this second race and hoped to come away with some money for new clothes. Even though he knew his uncle Oscar would gladly give him money, he didn't want to constantly be asking for handouts. But then again, he was betting with his uncle's money. Gil too seemed interested in the second race and they both checked each other's bets.

"I see, so we're betting on different horses. Want to further the bet, Gil?" asked Oz with a gleam in his eye.

"I suppose, but what is there to bet on?"

"How about, if my horse places before yours, you have to stop calling Alice names for a week. If your horse places before mine, I'll be YOUR master for a week. Sound good?"

"Well, I guess, but it sounds like I'm better off if you lose than the other way around," said Gil honestly.

Oz just laughed, struck out his hand and they shook.

The announcer's voice once again split through the noise of the crowd, signaling the start of the second race. Gil and Oz fought their way to the front, each calling out to their respective horses. Then the gates opened and the horses were off. The crowd was working itself into a frenzy as Gil and Oz were yelling louder and louder. Around and around the horses went, Gil and Oz looking equally happy and upset with each pass around the track.

It was a close finish, with two horses only a couple inches apart, but the race was decided.

"The winner is Tough Love! Second is Braveheart and third is Queen Faye!" yelled the announcer.

Oz was jumping up and down, obviously happy that he had won. Gil just smiled at the young boy who had earlier been confining himself to his room. Gil didn't need to win, he just needed to see Oz smile more.

"Well, Gil, looks like your Braveheart was no match for my Tough Love!" laughed Oz.

Gil just ran the sentence through his head again and again. Smiling, he put his hand on the young man's shoulder, unable to break his gaze away from the golden head of hair next to him.

The next week Gil smoked twice the amount of cigarettes than normal. Apparently not insulting Alice was harder than he thought. Stupid rabbit.


	8. The Book

He was always on the 7:15 am bus. Monday through Friday the young man sat in the third seat from the front next to the window. A worn brown leather backpack would be clutched in his hands as he stared out the window. He never looked sad, but he also never looked happy. The boy just seemed to exist and nothing more. At 7:52 he would exit the bus and make his way toward the largest preparatory school in the state. Every day it was the same.

That week it had been raining, no, pouring nonstop. The heavens had opened up, leaving the sky gray and gloomy. Storm drains were plugged, resulting in flooded street corners. Cars created their own rain clouds as they flew through the puddles. Water was everywhere, and there was no end in sight.

Large rain drops pelted the windows of the bus as a large gust of wind howled past. The boy continued to look on, uncaring of the anger Mother Nature displayed only inches from his face. A flash of lightning illuminated his deep green eyes before the rumble of thunder echoed through the sky. The bus creaked as the driver took a slow left turn. Everybody on the bus was somber, the effects of the weather clearly visible in their expressions and posture. Still, the boy looked on, his expression never changing even as another streak of lightning touched the ground.

Gold eyes moved to and fro, never looking up from the novel. It was a well loved book, the corners on the back cover were torn and bent, the pages discolored from years of use and the cover held on by tape and a prayer. It was the man's first time on the 7:15 bus. He looked up and caught a glimpse of wheat colored hair before turning his gaze back to his novel.

_It was very dark, and the wind howled horribly around her, but Dorothy found she was riding quite easily. After the first few whirls around, and one other time when the house tipped badly, she felt as if she were being rocked gently, like a baby in a cradle._

The bus lurched to a stop, signaling the end of the youth's and golden eyed man's journey. Slipping a scrap of paper into the page, the man put the book in his briefcase and stood up to leave. He edged along the row of seats and as he passed the seat of the youth he bumped into a plump old woman, uttered an apology and quickly hurried off the bus. The youth, waiting for a very stressed young man to get up so he could leave his seat, watched as the book fell out of the stranger's briefcase. He left his seat, uttered a thank you to the young man who wasn't even listening to him, and picked up the book. Holding it tightly in his hand, he exited the cramped bus.

The rain pelted him in the face and to his horror, the book as well. He immediately tucked the book into his pristine gray jacket and made his way toward the school.

Gil had searched everywhere but he could not find his beloved book. He had called the bus station, retraced his steps, but it was to no avail. His favorite book, the one given to him by a very special person, was gone.

_You will remember there was no road-not even a pathway- between the castle of the Wicked Witch and the Emerald City. When the four travelers went in search of the Witch she had seen them coming, and so sent the Winged Monkeys to bring them to her. It was much harder to find their way back through the big fields of buttercups and yellow daisies than it was being carried. _

Page after page turned past the young man's eyes as he drank in the story of Dorothy and her journey home. He could hear muffled yells and sobs through his walls, but he ignored them and continued the journey through the land of Oz.

For years Oz Bezarius had believed his parents loved him and each other as only a child could. He could see no fault in his father, who worked long hours and was away on business trips for weeks on end. As for his mother, he had seen the sadness in her eyes, but had thought that it was due to the absence of his father, and not the growing hole that would soon encompass her heart. The trouble came when Oz reached the age of 10. His father would go on even longer business trips and his mother rarely ever smiled, even when Oz gave her his best smiles. It was when his father was home from one of these trips that he first heard the screams, the accusations and the crying. Tiptoeing to his parents' room, he saw his mother sitting on the bed, her head in her hands. Tears streamed through her fingers and down her arms, staining the beautiful burgundy shirt that hung from her petite frame. His father was faced towards their large glass balcony doors. Neither now spoke, but even Oz could feel the cold, dead feelings in the air.

It didn't get better after that. The more his father was gone, the thinner and lonelier his mother became. It was on the day of his 11th birthday that Oz lost all the light in his eyes.

He had woken up, feeling particularly good about being a year older. Though his father had decided not to return for his birthday, his mother had promised him a wonderful dinner and lots of gifts. His mother's eyes had seemed somewhat far away when she had spoken to him; he thought she was just preoccupied, especially with his father being away again, so he shrugged off any negative feelings. So that morning, he took a long, hot bath, changed into his favorite t-shirt and jeans and rushed downstairs to greet his mother. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found. He searched the kitchen, the dining room, the foyer, everywhere and still his mother was missing. Working his way up, he searched her bedroom, the guest bedrooms and bathrooms and even the scary attic, but it was like his mother had turned to smoke and drifted away.

Thinking she was out shopping, he turned his attention to getting ready for his party. Oz did not have many friends, as his parents' wealth and notoriety made him an outcast. His father was the CEO of a large oil company that had recently come under fire due to corruption charges. On the other hand, his mother stayed at home, looking after him. Oz did not care about either his father's job or his mother's lack of one, but he did worry about not having friends. Still, the servants and his mother had planned a grand party and he had invited his uncle Oscar, one of the few people who saw Oz as the boy he truly was.

By three o'clock, Oz began to worry about his mother's whereabouts, as his party started at four. He asked the maids and none of them knew where his mother had gone. Going outside to their expansive estate, he wandered toward his mother's garden; a massive collection of roses of all different colors. In the middle was a large koi pond, where he knew his mother loved to watch the fish swim in lackadaisical circles. The rose garden stretched throughout the end of the estate and very few people ever wandered that far out, but Oz found his feet taking him toward the smell of roses. As he drew closer, he saw something floating in the pond.

It was his mother.

Her silky gold hair floated with the fish, weaving amongst the lily pads and rose petals. A long white dress, her wedding gown, made her look ethereal, even as her body floated on the surface of the water. He could not see her face, but he knew without a doubt that her eyes were open and a smile was on her lips. It was then that Oz screamed.

It was a foggy day and Oz was once again on the bus. He was glad his father was leaving today because he couldn't stand the guilt and the sorrow. All he wanted was to return the book and be alone. The book's owner was nowhere to be seen though and Oz left the bus without the returning the tattered thing.

For two weeks it went on like this, with Oz bringing the book onto the bus and eventually leaving with it. He was beginning to give up hope that he would ever return it.

Gil, on the other hand, had flung himself into a depression so deep that he had missed a week of work. His skin was pale and dark circles appeared under his eyes. He could not live without the book, his most beloved possession.

Gil had no memories of his past aside from those involving his little brother, Vincent. He could not remember his mother or father, where he was born, or even his own birthday. A doctor had once told him that if a person tries hard enough, they can subconsciously destroy their memories. That worried Gil, as he feared the reasons as to why he couldn't recall anything before Vincent was a little boy. His first memories were those of Vincent flinging himself onto another little boy in an orphanage, trying to gouge the terrified child's eyes out for making fun of the color of his eyes.

After that incident, Gil and Vincent were moved from orphanage to orphanage, each sending the two away because of Vincent's violent outbreaks. When Vincent was 13, he was sent to a juvenile detention center for stabbing a grown man with a pair of scissors. The man had threatened Gil for talking to his girlfriend. For six months Vincent showed signs of improvement in the center, being cooperative to guards, not threatening the other youths and showing an improvement in his overall demeanor. Unfortunately, Gil was the only one who knew it was an act.

Vincent was a cunning and ruthless child. What he wanted, he would have and if he couldn't get it, he would destroy it. The one thing Vincent loved more than the color of blood was his big brother. He would do anything for Gil and that frightened his older brother.

The day Vincent was let out of the center, he found a stray dog. What Gil remembered after that was a horrible memory, one he wished he could also forget.

"_Hey Vincent, what was it like in the facility? Where they mean to you? Did you get enough to eat?" asked Gil, feeling a sort of sad relief his brother was free. They were walking down a shady part of the city, toward a shelter for abandoned children._

"_Of course, Gil. Everyone loved me there. How could they not when all they saw through their rose colored glasses was a boy trying desperately to reunite with his one and only brother?" Vincent replied. _

"_Well, I'm glad you're out. What should we do next? I managed to scrounge some money together while you were away. It should be enough for a couple of bus tickets out of here."_

_But Gil could tell his voice had fallen on deaf ears, as Vincent's eyes had turned hazy, his gaze following that of a stray dog. It was limping badly, whining, blood trailing from a gash on its right hip. Vincent's eyes followed that stream of blood that flowed from the wound, down the animal's leg, to the street, where it mingled with the dirt of the city. As if sensing evil, the dog's ears laid flat, a low growl emanated from its throat as it slowly backed its way into an alley, hoping to fend off the unwanted person._

_Vincent followed the dog even as Gil yelled at him to stop and leave it alone. In that dark, putrid alley the dog was trapped between a rusting metal fence and the murderous intent of a young boy. To his right, a broken pipe lay glistening on the ground, just asking to be used. Slowly kneeling down, he picked up the pipe, feeling its weight in his hands. He swung it back and forth in slow, methodical arcs, enjoying the way the air moved past him with each swing. Then he turned toward the dog, his eyes wide and his mouth spread into a thin, deadly smile. _

_The pipe came down on the dog's head and it gave out a short yelp. Then another blow and another, one to his shoulders, his back, his legs. With each blow the dog jerked and twitched and after a few more seconds, only silenced remained. A deep crimson rolled down the pipe onto Vincent's hand. He merely smiled at the blood before dropping his weapon to the ground. Gil stood behind his brother, his eyes wide in terror. There were no words, no tears, only silence and that frightened Gil more than anything else. _

_Then Vincent kneeled down, picked up the dog's head and cradled it in his lap. Gil could not hear the whispered words coming out of his brother's lips, but he knew it was an apology. Then Vincent, his eyes once more wild, drove his pointer finger and thumb into the dog's eye socket and ripped out its eye. It was then that Gil threw up as his brother laughed. _

For years, Vincent continued to act this way, forcing Gil to realize the truth; his brother was irreversibly sick. It was when Gil confronted Vincent about this that everything went out of control. He had been 18 when he shot Vincent in the chest. His brother had attacked him with a kitchen knife, blaming him for everything that had happened to their parents and what would happen to Vincent if Gil had him taken to a doctor. The gun had been a precaution, something Gil wanted to protect himself and his brother. Funny how life had worked out.

Gil ran his hand through his raven locks, remembering the day the paramedics had come, saying that Vincent was in a coma. The police had told Gil that it wasn't his fault, that his brother was schizophrenic and would have eventually killed him, but that didn't ease the guilt in his heart. A few months later, Vincent died in that hospital room and with him, all of Gil's happiness faded away.

The day he learned his brother had died, he went to go pick up his things and within his brother's belongings was a book. Inside read:

To my dearest brother: Happy "fake" birthday! I love you the most. Vincent.

It was The Wizard of Oz by Leo Tolstoy. His brother planned to give him the book on his birthday. Vincent had been shot by his brother the day before he planned on giving him the book. It was then that Gil began to cry.

Sitting on the 7:15am bus, Gil looked like a beggar, his clothes hung loosely off his frame and his hair covered half his face. Oz almost didn't recognize him, but upon closer inspection, realized that the briefcase was the same. Standing up, Oz made his way toward the bedraggled stranger, thinking that the man was either a poor dresser, was sick or was a serial killer. Sitting down next to him, he opened his backpack and laid the book on the man's lap. Gil pretended to not care about the stranger and continued to stare forward. Oz gave the man one more glance before getting up and returning to his usual seat. It was when Gil looked down that he saw it. His book. Tears began to stream down his face as he slowly ran his fingers over its cover. He looked up, but the youth was no longer there. Searching through the bus, he caught sight of blonde hair, a radiant halo amongst a sea of gray. Stumbling to make it to the youth, the bus jolted to a stop, flinging Gil forward. He saw the young man exit the bus and Gil immediately pushed himself forward, shoving people aside as he made his way toward the exit.

Oz felt good that he had returned the book, even though the stranger had been ungrateful. Now he could go back to living his solitary life, a life without Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow or even the Cowardly Lion. It was when he felt a presence behind him that he flung around, ready to fight any attacker. However, it was the book's owner standing there, staring at him.

"You are an angel," Gil managed to whisper out.

Oz just stood there, unable to say anything.

"You are an angel from heaven," Gil said louder.

Oz gave him a sad smile, his shock fading away. "Perhaps a broken one," he replied.

It was then that Gil began to laugh and Oz gave him a queer look, wondering if the man was perhaps insane. But even so, both of them felt it, a bond stronger than steel.

"Did you read it?"

"Yes."

"How many times?"

"Every day."

Both of them smiled at each other then.

"Would you like to talk about the book?"

"Yes."

And so Oz skipped school and Gil missed work and the both of them spent the day talking about a world where life is a little less complicated. From the book they talked about life and love and eventually, they found within themselves a new hope, one where the shadows could not overpower their hearts. Gil eventually talked about Vincent and Oz about his parents. Their mutual sadness made them friends, but it was the bond of their hearts that made them more. Even now, that book rests in the middle of their bookshelf, a reminder of all the sadness and happiness in their lives.


End file.
